Starting Over
by DramaPrincess001
Summary: The gang have finally settled into a nice routine, almost normal....no longer running for protection, but will the arrival of someone new threaten their lives?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: First and foremost, I would like to say that I do not own the rights to the show `Roswell'. I only own the original characters that I created to `spice' up the story. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: The gang have finally settled into a nice routine, almost normal....no longer running for protection, but will the arrival of someone new threaten their lives?  
  
Couple: Michael and Maria (Only mentions of relationships between Kyle and Isabel, Max and Liz. Mainly focusing on Maria and Michael)  
  
*Author's Note: It's gonna begin out light, and then dive into the drama and all that stuff..... :) Feedback will be greatly appreciated.*  
  
{Prologue}  
  
"What do you mean you thought it was trash!"  
  
That was the first thing Maria heard as she woke from her mid-afternoon nap, Isabel's outraged voice in the hallway. She groaned and tried to roll over, to cover her ears and try to sleep more, but she could hardly move in her position. She scowled as she looked down at her large stomach, almost accusingly. She was seven months pregnant...and huge...well atleast she thought so. She would curse Michael for the rest of her life if she didn't get her figure back....and she cursed him now for letting her sleep on her back. She had problems getting out of chairs now and if she slept on her back, she needed Michael to help her get up. She swore that half the time she was further along then Max had said, but...but he said she was seven months along, and they had to go along with that. They'd...Meaning herself...had given him strict orders not to tell them anything else, just that the baby was healthy, and so far...he was keeping to that promise.  
  
"It was all crumbled up and lying on the floor Iz, I thought it was trash!"Came Kyle's disgruntled voice, almost as loud as Isabel's.  
  
"I'll have you know that was a report I needed to turn in tomorrow for my fashion design class! You should have just left it alone...now I'll have to write the whole damn thing over again."  
  
"Just use your powers...you should have a photographic memory or something, it can't be that hard...."  
  
"Kyle! It took me an three hours to get that out the first time!"  
  
"God...they're arguing again..." Maria grumbled to herself. They were almost as bad as herself and Michael, only she and Michael could turn that off with a kiss. The sexual tension between Kyle and Isabel just kept going, neither were brave enough to take that next step. She wished now that she still had her bedroom on the second floor.  
  
They had settled down in Winter Falls, a small town in North Carolina and had ended up living together in a slightly large two story town house. When they had first moved in, so many months ago, she and Michael had called the only bedroom on the second floor, but when she had started getting big and walking up and down the stairs had become hard, they ended up switching rooms with Max and Liz....and now all she heard was Isable and Kyle arguing, or trying to get a rise out of Michael and it was beginning to take it's toll.  
  
"Dammit! Didn't I tell you two to go suck face somewhere and get out of this funk?" An almost quiet growl asked, but Maria could tell immediately that it was Michael. "Maria's sleeping and if you too haven't noticed, she's been having more and more problems sleeping with you two always in the hall..." The voices got quiet and she couldn't tell what was being said until she heard shuffling outside her door, obviously people leaving, then Michael poking his head into their room.  
  
He sighed as he saw her lying there in bed, awake, looking back at him.  
  
"I was hoping you would have slept more..." He threw a dark look out into the hall before coming into the room and closing the door behind him. He moved towards the bed and held his hands out, as if to pull her up, but she simply shook her head. She felt like just lying there for the moment, "Alright..." He scratched his eyebrow before toeing off his shoes and crawling into the bed next to her.  
  
He propped his head up with his arm and peered down at her, laying on his side as he rested one of his hands on her stomach. He smirked as he felt the baby within kick. No matter how many times he felt that, it still seemed to amaze him...and it wasn't just the kicking. It was the times he'd wake up in the middle of the night and turn towards Maria to find her lying on her back, covers kicked back, one of his shirts she'd been sleeping in raised over her protruding stomach, that he realized that this wasn't some dream...it was reality. And that image would forever be stuck with him. It was scary to think that in less than a few months, he'd be a father, it was scary to think he'd hold responsibility over another person, but it felt wonderful all the same.  
  
"Hows my baby doing?" He questioned, obviously directed at Maria as he leaned down to kiss her lips gently before moving away and intently focusing on her stomach, "And how's my boy." That earned a chuckle from Maria.  
  
"Why do you insist on thinking that our baby is a boy?" She questioned, "No matter how hard you wish, it won't come true...we're having a girl. I know it." She smirked as she propped herself up some on the pillows.  
  
"Your the one always complaining about the kid kicking you so hard that it wakes you up..." He pointed out, "Kids obviously a boy."  
  
"Hey! Girls can be kickers too..." She jabed at his shoulder, "I taught you that in the 5th grade..." She pointed out easily, then winced and rubbed her stomach as the child in question made a point of kicking her hard. "Either way...it's your demon sperm that causes it to kick so hard..." She muttered, though their was an underlining teasing to her voice.  
  
Michael laughed as he shook his head and pushed off the bed, "Come on.....I heard Liz messing around in the kitchen, I think she's making some dinner..." He reached down to take her hands and pulled her up, half grining, half smirking as she groaned about carrying so much weight with his alien child, but he watched as her face softened when their wedding rings made clinking sounds as they hit together. He knew things were going good for now, nothing would change that...he wouldn't let it.  
  
To Be Continued 


	2. In The Doghouse

{Chapter One}  
  
"Ugh...No more..." Kyle complained, trying to dodge a spoon that was shoved towards his mouth. "Come on, Maria....." He whined, bristling as Liz and Michael chuckled to themselves.  
  
Ever since Maria had began craving things, she had used him as her science project, making him eat the things first before she'd even take a bite. It annoyed him that she didn't go after anyone else with her weird foods, but at the same time, he was honored. In her own freakish way, he knew she was just letting him know that she cared about him, in a different way from the others, as a brother.  
  
But no matter how much he loved that he was high up on Maria's scale, he refused to eat another tabasco lined cookie, or ice cream, or pudding...or weird pickle and peanut butter sandwiches.  
  
"Maria!" He barked, his voice harsh as he gritted his teeth, then immediately regretted his tone as he watched those big green eyes fill with tears. She sniffled and then suddenly they were flowing and she was making quiet crying noises. He inwardly groaned...the cravings were one thing, the mood swings were a whole different thing.  
  
"Good going, Valenti.." Michael growled as he shoved Kyle aside and pulled Maria into his arms. Easily fitting her into him, despite her bulging stomach. "Shhh..." His lips brushed over her ear as he rubbed her back. "Come on Ria, you know he didn't mean anything by that tone.." He murmered. Everytime she cried, he was at a loss. He hated to see any type of pain in her eyes. "Hey..." He pulled back some and brush tears away, never noticing how Liz slipped out of the kitchen, or the way Kyle backed up, looking ready to dart at having to watch this show of affection. "I'll let you try to stab me with the spoon...how about that?" His lips tugged into a small smile as she started to giggle.  
  
"I was not trying to stab him Michael." Maria informed him as she pouted, almost a spark of anger creeping into her voice too, but Michael was just so glad she wasn't crying any longer to care if she got riled up.  
  
"Could have fooled me." He smirked as he pulled back further, crossing his arms and staring down at her as she set her hands on her hips. Out of the cornor of his eye, he could see Kyle high tailing it out of the room. "I'm actually surprised Valenti didn't run screaming as soon as he saw you in the kitchen, everytime he's around and your in there, you try to poison him with your weird cravings..."  
  
"That is not true!" Maria denied, she was trying desperately not to laugh or smile and try to remain angry. "Kyle likes my new inventions in food. Don't you Ky-" She turned around to see the man in question had flown the coop. She huffed as Michael began to laugh, or chuckle...or...well...whatever you could call his amused noises.  
  
"Looks like he doesn't agree so much, now does it?" He asked, smirking as she just waddled past him, his face immediately fell though with her words.  
  
"Your sleeping on the couch tonight." She barked back at him as she walked from the kitchen.  
  
Michael groaned and slumped onto a stool, hearing their bedroom door slam down the hall. What would that make this? The fifth time in the last three weeks?  
  
"You know where the extra comforters and pillows are. Hall closet." Liz called with amusement from the living room.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Later that night, Maria wandered down the hall from her bedroom, making a sleepy bee-line towards the couch bed that Michael had no doubtedly pulled out for himself to sleep on. This happened everytime she condemed him to sleep on the couch. She'd wake up lonely in that big bed by herself, and end up in the couch bed beside Michael minutes later.  
  
"Come 'er..." Michael hushed and tired voice reached her as she reached the end of the bed. He lifted the covers he used all the time now and she, with a little help from him, slipping in next to him, closing her eyes as his body spooned hers. "Now go back to sleep.." He murmured, kissing her neck gently as his chest and stomach pressed against the length of her back, his arm settling around her waist and his hand rubbing her stomach.  
  
"I'm sorry I made you sleep on the couch." She whispered tiredly, and Michael could tell she was already on the verge of sleep again.  
  
"It's alright baby, just sleep." Michael peered down at her in the darkness, and only when her breathing evened out and he was sure she was asleep, did he relax and begin to fall back asleep himself. He was used to the couch, he didn't mind sleeping there, because he knew he'd wake up with Maria no matter what. And half the time, he admitted that he made her so angry, that if he was her, he'd send himself to the couch too.  
  
"I love you..." He smirked at her sleepy, slurred voice cut through his thoughts. He settled his head back on the pillow next to her, his face nuzzling the back of her neck.  
  
"Love you too." He whispered and then closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.  
  
To Be Continued 


	3. Cynthia

_**Chapter Two **_

"I feel gross...and sweaty!" Maria whined as she let Kyle lead her through the art gallery. Ever since moving there, Michael had started his paintings, very beautiful and admired paintings. That was where most of the money they used came from. He'd been a big hit with the small town and even got people wanting to buy his paintings from the surrounding towns. They were all at his second art showing and she hated it. The first time they had been newly wedded and she'd looked beautiful in her blood red evening gown with the matching shoes and lipstick. But back then, she hadn't even known she was pregnant, like now when it was so totally obvious.

She felt gross, she was sure she looked it and was probably embarrassing Michael walking around there all fat. But that was her own opinion. Everyone else thought she was the cutest little thing. With her small form in that black glittery, custom made evening gown with the very subtle neckline that hinted at cleavage, but didn't quit show it (Via Isabel), if you looked at her from behind, you'd think it was the same Maria Guerin everyone in town had known and come to love...the tiny little girl. You walked around to see her from the front, and you'd remember that she's 7 months pregnant with the artist, Michael Guerin's, first child. She was adorable, she looked beautiful, but she didn't think so.

"Maria, will you stop that? Everyone is talking about you...in a purely good way. They think you're beautiful..." Kyle saw her frown, knowing she still didn't believe him, "They rate you higher than Izzy and Liz!" He said at a last ditch effort, and breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly grinned with a giggle.

"Kyle...they aren't even here to be rated." She pointed out. Oh no, they weren't there, it was just her, Michael and Kyle tonight. Liz had come down with the flu, so even if Maria had wanted to stay home, Michael wouldn't have allowed her to be near a sick person in fear she'd catch something, Max was taking one of his night classes and Isabel had been busy working on a new essay.

Kyle frowned and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah...but still...everyone KNOWS what they look like, they think you look better.." He tried and just groaned as that pout came back to her lips.

"I don't care what everyone thinks! Michael hasn't spoken not one word to me since we got here. I'm beginning to think he'd rather have me stay in the car all evening instead of waddling around here and embarrassing him." Maria cried quietly, her voice whiney, but kept low so no one but Kyle could hear.

"He's just busy Maria. He's talking with people, who want to buy his stuff, and he's talking to other painters...and he mingling, and he left me with you because he didn't want you walking around everywhere and getting tired." Kyle explained, letting an arm drape over her shoulder and bringing her to him, half hugging her with comfort from a brother. No one thought it weird that they be this close. Everyone thought they were brother and sister...which they practically were, they had just expanded that thought a bit by saying they share the same parents.

Maria started to nod, but then a frown covered her pout, informing Kyle that she was more upset then she let on, "He looks like he's having a hell of a time without me." She muttered and Kyle followed her gaze as it landed on Michael, laughing and talking with a woman their age with long, dark red curls and bright blue eyes, dressed in a form fitting tan dress, the neck-line low jutting out her breasts and a slit in the side that practically showed off everything under the dress. Kyle glared as he realized that the girl was flirting, and Michael was letting her.

"She's probably a lonely woman who's flirting about buying a painting, it doesn't mean anything." He said quickly, glaring more as Michael seemed to sense Maria's distress and looked over at them, frowning as Maria turned her back and after another hard glare, Kyle did the same.

"Whatever...I don't care either way." She muttered, and then winced as the baby kicked hard and she rubbed her stomach. "Baby doesn't care either.." She forced a smile as Mrs. Anderson, her old boss's wife, came walking to them.

"Maria, darling, look at you. I swear you get more beautiful every day.." Mrs. Anderson was probably in her 40's, but she didn't look a day over 30. She was the kindest woman Maria had ever met, and even though she no longer worked for Mr. Anderson, the Mrs. had always made it a habit of checking in on her, be it just for a friendly chat, or to make sure she was doing well. She'd even found out that everyone at the office had a pool going on what she'd have and when. She was amused by it all.

"Please...I look like a big watermelon." Maria wrinkled her nose in distaste. She watched as Mrs. Anderson glanced at her in question, and when she nodded, the woman pressed a hand to her stomach, smiling as the child beneath kicked. "She doesn't seem to care that it hurts mommy when she kicks.." She muttered, causing both Kyle and Mrs. Anderson to laugh, about that same time, Michael came walking up with that woman that Maria hadn't met, but hated already.

"Sweetheart..." Michael started as he slid an arm around Maria's waist, his fingers caressing the side of her stomach and her hip gently through her dress and she melted instantly, all forgiven. "Kyle, Mrs. Anderson..." He nodded with a small smile to the woman, and then looked back at the red head that had a strange look on her face when she glanced at him and Maria together. "This is Cynthia Reeds, she just moved to town...actually right down the block from us, she's looking into starting some painting of her own."

"A pleasure to meet you, but I see my husband over there about to make a fool of himself, if you'll excuse me." Mrs. Anderson seemed to sense the tension and fled.

"Cynthia, this is my wife, Maria...and my brother-in-law, Kyle." Michael had come to make it a habit of referring to Kyle as Maria's brother, or his brother in law, first time he'd said it, it had freaked out Kyle, but now, the other guy was just as used to it as Michael, "And this..." He placed his over hand on Maria's stomach, "IS my son..." He said with a grin.

"Daughter." Maria corrected him, smiling tightly at the woman.

"Oh! I didn't realize you were married..." Cynthia fluttered her eyes at Michael and Maria barely concealed a snort. Yeah right, like she just looked over the wedding band on Michael's finger. "And expecting at that... It's wonderful." Maria tried not to gag herself as Cynthia touched Michael's arm. Her eyes flew to meet Kyle's who was seemingly trying to figure out if the woman was just friendly, or trying to get a piece of the married man.

"Yes it is, almost a year now, and baby here will be out soon..." Maria said proudly, her hand with her own wedding band coming up to cover Michael's. He didn't seem to notice the flirting, but he did notice Maria's tense and stressed state.

"You okay?" He questioned, turning his head to speak softly into her ear. And as Maria turned her full attention on Michael, Kyle was the only person to see Cynthia look at Maria in anger, as if it was her fault that she couldn't have Michael. His eyes narrowed as she said bye quickly and took off from them to mingle.

"No, actually...I'm feeling kind of tired, and my feet hurt...and the baby's acting up." Maria admitted, but refused to admit that despite those things, she was more upset over that ...that 'Woman' flirting with him.

"We'll go home then, it's late anyways...I knew you shouldn't have come." Michael started as he took her arm in his and began to walk towards the entrance, directing Kyle to go get their coats.

"No, no...Kyle can take me home, you can stay if you want...and I wanted to come Michael." Maria pointed out quickly.

"You leave, I leave. I've been waiting for you to inform me you were ready to go for most the night anyways. You know I don't do well with crowds...and suits for that matter..." He smirked at her as she giggled, he could feel her tension melting away and he was glad for that. She didn't need to be stressed now. "Besides...Mr. Johnson has a new wife and she kept trying to touch my hair and find out what I used to get it so shiny... My hair Maria! She tried to touch it!" The sound of Maria's laughter echoed through the parking lot as Kyle caught up to them and they walked to the car.

No one saw Cynthia standing outside the building, a glare in her pretty blue eyes, directed fully on Maria. "I'll get what I want, what I deserve." She muttered to herself, then plastered a fake smile on her lips and went back in.

_**To Be Continued **_


	4. Unknown Problems

_**Chapter Three**_

"I don't like this one bit."

"I know it's terrible." Isabel said in a hushed, almost dreadful voice.

"But it has to be done..." Liz countered, in a deadly calm voice.

"But why?" Isabel whined, pulling a yellow glove from her back pocket and pulling it onto her hand, "Why can't the guys clean the bathroom, they make the mess."

"Because...if we don't clean it, it will never be cleaned." Liz said, her nose scrunching up in disgust as she stood practically a foot away from the toilet and lifted the lid with the toilet brush.

"We could sick Michael on it! You know what a clean freak he is, he wouldn't dare step foot in here if he saw this..." Isabel pointed out, looking around the bathroom like it was going to swallow her up.

"Which would work if he actually used this bathroom...it's no fair that Max and I had to give up the room with the bathroom..." Liz complained, and then sighed. "Besides, you'd have to actually catch him to talk to him, I don't even think Maria's spent ten minutes with him this last month...he's been over at 'Cynthia's' working on that project in every spare minute he has." She spat out. Michael Guerin was not on high on her list of people to like at the moment. He was never home and although Maria told them all that she was happy Michael was having inspiration over at Cynthia's, no one was fooled.

Maria was 8 months pregnant, about to bust and she was falling fast into a depression. There had been times when Liz, or even Isabel had been out in the hall during the middle of the night and they'd hear her crying because Michael hadn't come home yet. Max dared to say that maybe Michael was having an affair with Cynthia, and it had been weird to see Kyle jumping to his defense, but it had come apparent that if that was true, Kyle would be the first to beat the living crap out of him.

"Don't rag on him, Liz. I know he's not around most of the time, but this project he's working on is going to bring in a lot of money...it'll help him and Maria with the baby... Besides, that boy is far gone in love for Maria that he doesn't even notice when that evil bitch is hitting on him..."

"Evil bitch hitting on whom?" Maria asked, standing in the doorway, a hand holding against her back, a glass of milk in her other hand.

"No, you didn't hear it right, Ria. I said, 'Evil Witch is sitting on him'..." Isabel winced at how lame that sounded.

"Oh...you're talking about Cynthia." Maria said dryly, and then shrugged. "He's clueless as ever, its worse then when Courtney was around. This project will be over soon, so at least I can look forward to that." Even as she talked, both girls could see Maria's eyes filling with tears.

"Oh, don't cry!" "I'll turn her hair green, if you want!" Liz and Isabel said at the same time, though Liz and Maria both stared at Isabel as her sentence went on a little longer.

"What!" She shrugged, "She seems to have all this pride in her hair, why not knock it down some?" She sighed, almost gleefully as she took off the rubber gloves, moving from the bathroom as Maria and Liz did too.

"I just don't understand why he has to spend SOOO MUCH time over there? Can't he do just a little work here, can't he at least be here a few hours a day so I know he stills loves me?" Maria asked. The flood gates had opened and there was no way they were stopping. She sniffled and great fully accepted the tissue that Isabel handed her as they settled on the couch, both girls hurrying to get the very pregnant and very emotional woman comfortable. "I mean...she's beautiful! Cynthia is beautiful, and even when I wasn't pregnant, she blows me away. What if he's suddenly realized how tied down he is with me and a baby?" She questioned.

"Maria, no. I know I used to warn you against Michael, but he's changed since then. He loves you and I know for a fact that he can't wait for this baby to come out and for you to all be a family." Liz said quickly, not wanting to see her long time friend in so much pain.

"Liz is right. You know how Michael gets, he gets so caught up in something that he doesn't see anything else around him, no matter how much he cares about them. This project is just overriding everything else. You need to tell him your feeling neglected..." Isabel fell quiet for a moment, and when she started to speak again, her voice was soft, "You should tell Michael about Cynthia coming over the other day." She sighed as Maria quickly shook her head.

"No, no Isabel. She was just making mindless threats because she has the hots for Michael...But I can trust Michael, I know I can, I'm not worried about anything..."

_** Three days earlier **_

Maria rubbed the back of her neck as she rested from cleaning the living room. No one was home and she was bored. She had been given strict orders from Doctor Maxwell to do as little as possible...but he wasn't the one in that damn house 24/7. She'd finally got fed up with TV and had come downstairs only to find the living room a mess, but now it was good and clean, and she swore that the others were going to be waiting on her hand and foot when they got home for cleaning the mess.

"Yeah I know, mommies hungry too, just give me a few minutes to rest." She talked to her stomach as the baby gave her a painful jab.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity." A female's high pitched voice came from the front doorway and Maria twisted around, uncomfortably, to see who it was.

She sighed as Cynthia Reeds stood in the doorway, looking as beautiful and perfect as ever. Her red curls were up in a ponytail with a few framing her face, her make-up was put on just perfectly, her close snug and making her look irrrestible, but Maria only saw her enemy. "What do you want?"

"Michael asked me to bring you by some lunch." She smiled sweetly, "Which I forgot to get on my way over here."

"Then go, you're not welcome." Maria snapped.

"Oh, that's not what Michael says..." She smirked at Maria's glare. In a few short strides, she was standing in front of Maria, leaning down to speak to her, "Listen up little lady, I got news for you. Michael is mine...you may carry his child and wear his ring, but it's my bed he'll be in soon, not yours. You know you can't compare with me. I'm beautiful and intelligent and love art just as Michael, while you sit at home on your fat ass all day, not smart, and you have no clue about anything dealing with Art." She leaned in closer, her voice a growl, "I get what I want, and if you get in my way, I'll make you pay in a very painful, very 'dead' sort of way."

"What the hell is going on here?" Isabel snapped from the doorway, making Cynthia blink in surprise, then slowly raise up.

"Oh I was just chatting with 'Ria' here, Michael asked me to drop off something to eat." She set down a bag that Maria hadn't seen before. "Well, it was a nice chat, we should do it again." She smiled sweetly and left quickly.

_** Present Time **_

"No Isabel, he doesn't need to know, it's nothing to be concerned about." Maria said firmly and slowly pushed herself up from her chair, "Don't mention it again." She threw over her shoulder as she waddled back towards her room.

"We have to do something..." Liz whispered, "This is killing her..."

"I know..." Isabel said with a frown.

_**To Be Continued **_


End file.
